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Nikon
Nikon is a Japanese company specializing in optics and imaging. Its full name is Nikon Corporation (株式会社ニコン, Kabushiki Kaisha Nikon) since 1988. It was founded in 1917 as Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (written 日本光學工業株式會社 before WWII and 日本光学工業株式会社 after) with the merger of two Japanese optical firms with military connections. Over the next 60 years Nikon became renowed for the quality of its Nikkor optics and photographic equipment. During World War II the company expanded significantly, supplying optical equipment to the Japanese military. After the war, the company began producing replacement lenses for the popular German rangefinder cameras of the day, and the quality of Nikkor lenses attracted the attention of many professional photographers and photojournalists desiring better results from the small 35mm format. Nikon eventually developed its own, very successful 35mm rangefinder camera. In 1959, Nikon introduced the Nikon F, an advanced mechanical single lens reflex (SLR) camera that proved to be extraordinarily durable and reliable. With the F, Nikon introduced its philosophy of high-quality, low-friction, close-tolerance mechanisms requiring less lubricant than other cameras. This workmanship had a practical side, as Nikons have accompanied more photographers to extreme environments — from the summit of Mount Everest to the depths of the Saharan Desert — than any other SLR camera. The F became an overnight sucesss with many professional and serious amateur photographers, and spawned a succession of popular Nikon 35mm film cameras, culminating with the Nikon F6. In the late 1990s, Nikon introduced digital photography with both the Coolpix line of consumer and prosumer cameras as well as DSLR cameras such as the Nikon D-series. Digital SLR http://static.flickr.com/27/101090707_f0448dfe3c_t.jpg * Nikon D1 * Nikon D1H * Nikon D1X * Nikon D2H * Nikon D2X * Nikon D50 * Nikon D70 * Nikon D70s * Nikon D80 * Nikon D100 * Nikon D200 * Nikon E2 * Nikon E2N * Nikon E2NS * Nikon E2S * Nikon E3 * Nikon E3S Fixed Lens * Nikon Coolpix 100 * Nikon Coolpix 2000 * Nikon Coolpix 2100 * Nikon Coolpix 2200 * Nikon Coolpix 2500 * Nikon Coolpix 300 * Nikon Coolpix 3100 * Nikon Coolpix 3200 * Nikon Coolpix 3500 * Nikon Coolpix 3700 * Nikon Coolpix 4100 * Nikon Coolpix 4200 * Nikon Coolpix 4300 * Nikon Coolpix 4500 * Nikon Coolpix 4800 * Nikon Coolpix 5000 * Nikon Coolpix 5200 * Nikon Coolpix 5400 * Nikon Coolpix 5700 * Nikon Coolpix 600 * Nikon Coolpix 700 * Nikon Coolpix 775 * Nikon Coolpix 7600 * Nikon Coolpix 7900 * Nikon Coolpix 800 * Nikon Coolpix 8400 * Nikon Coolpix 8700 * Nikon Coolpix 8800 * Nikon Coolpix 885 * Nikon Coolpix 900 * Nikon Coolpix 950 * Nikon Coolpix 990 * Nikon Coolpix 995 * Nikon Coolpix SQ * Nikon Coolpix S1 35mm film Auto Focus SLR http://static.flickr.com/60/154237059_e74b381ce7_t.jpg * Nikon F100 * Nikon F3AF * Nikon F4 * Nikon F5 * Nikon F6 * Nikon N2020 (F501) * Nikon N4004 (F401) * Nikon N4004S (F401S) * Nikon N50 (F50) * Nikon N5005 (F401X) * Nikon N55 (F55) * Nikon N6006 (F601) * Nikon N60 (F60) * Nikon N65 (F65) * Nikon N70 (F70) * Nikon N75 (F75) * Nikon N80 (F80) * Nikon N8008 (F801) * Nikon N8008S (F801S) * Nikon N90 (F90) * Nikon N90S (F90X) Manual Focus SLR http://static.flickr.com/76/154237057_cfc4cb99bd_t.jpg * Nikkorex F / Nikkor J (1962-) * Nikomat/Nikkormat EL * Nikomat/Nikkormat ELW * Nikomat/Nikkormat FS * Nikomat/Nikkormat FT * Nikomat/Nikkormat FT2 * Nikomat/Nikkormat FT3 * Nikomat/Nikkormat FTN * Nikon EL2 * Nikon EM * Nikon F * Nikon F2 * Nikon F3 * Nikon FA * Nikon FE * Nikon FE10 * Nikon FE2 * Nikon FG * Nikon FG-20 * Nikon FM * Nikon FM10 * Nikon FM2 * Nikon FM2N * Nikon FM2/T * Nikon FM3A * Nikon N2000 (F301) * Nikon N6000 (F601m) Leaf shutter SLR * Nikkorex 35 (1960-1962) * Nikkorex 35|2 (1962-) * Nikkorex Zoom 35 (1963-) * Nikkorex Auto 35 / Nikon Auto 35 (1964-) Rangefinder * Nikon I (1948) * Nikon M (1949) * Nikon S (1951) * Nikon S2 (1954) * Nikon SP (1957) * Nikon S3 (1958) * Nikon S4 (1959) * Nikon S3M (1960) * Nikon S3 2000 (2000) * Nikon SP 2005 (2005) Fixed Lens * Nikon 28Ti * Nikon 35Ti Underwater * Nikonos * Nikonos II * Nikonos III * Nikonos IV-A * Nikonos V * Nikonos RS APS film SLR * Nikon Pronea S * Nikon Pronea 600i (Pronea 6i) Compact http://static.flickr.com/47/136063215_c3d131087c.jpg * Nuvis A20 * Nuvis E10 * Nuvis mini * Nuvis S * Nuvis S 2000 * Nuvis V * Nuvis 60 * Nuvis 200 * Nuvis 300 Links In English: * Official Nikon Site * Nikon at Wikipedia, a comprehensive overview of company, history and products. * Nikonians, a large Nikon fan site. * The inofficial Nikon User Forums! - English, German, French, Italian and Spanish * A Pictorial History on Nikon 35mm cameras and of Nikon digital SLRs from Photography in Malaysia * Short history of Nikon until 1949 at the Nikon Historical Society website * Article titled "Nikon and the sponsorship of Japan's optical industry by the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1917-1945", by Jeff Alexander, published in Gateway In French: * Nikon page at Collection G. Even's site In Japanese: * Aerial Camera Type 96 at the Wetwing Aerial Camera site Category: Japanese camera makers Category: Japanese lens makers *